Reversible athletic supporter



Ee 23, J T, JORDAN REVERSIBLE ATHLETIC SUPPORTER Filed Dec.

gmc/nlm Jan Y? Jbl-'dan Patented June 23, 1936 ATENT OFFIQE John T. Jordan, Chicago,

Ill., assignor to Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 15,

. 1 Claim.

The invention relates to athletic supporters or so-called jock straps.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a structure which will combine the functions of a jock strap and abdominal supporter; to provide a structure of the character indicated which will present smooth and non-chafing surfaces to the end that it will be reversible and may be worn with maximum comfort in either the regular or reversed state; and to provide a supporter that is continuously elastic throughout its several units whereby it is self-fitting and free from sagging tendency.

Other objects, as well as the nature, characteristic features, and scope of the invention more readily will be understood from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of an athletic supporter embodying features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational detail view of the pouch.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 0-4 of Fig. 1.

The waistband, generally indicated at 5, may be formed, as usual, of elastic webbing, but departing from the usual practice and in accordance with my inventive thought, it embodies a double thickness except in some instances where the ends are joined at the back by the single elastic web section E. The doubling may be obtained by employing two coincident stripsV of elastic webbing but, by preference, is effected by folding a single strip of appropriate width, the upper marginal edge of the waistband here shown representing the line of fold of the doubled portion 'l of the waistband. The purpose of the doubling is twofold,-to insure adequate support of the abdomen and to shroud the pouch and leg band connections so that the supporter will present smooth and substantially flush surfaces to the end of being non-chang and thereby permitting ease and comfort, whether the supporter be worn in the orthodox way or in its reversed state as is contemplated.

The waistband is secured in its double state Without any lessening of its inherent elasticity by a line of zigzag stitching 8 located inwardly 1933, Serial No. 702,619

(Cl. 12S-160) of the lower margin of the waistband in order thereby to provide a continuous pocket 9. The latter serves to receive and shroud the proximate portions of the pouch and leg bands, the stitching 8 being availed of to join said elements to the waistband, it being understood that the zigzag nature of the sitching insures adequate security without in any way imparting the longitudinal stretch or any other native stretch of the waistband or the elements secured thereto by the stitching.

The pouch and the leg bands are by preference composed of knitted fabric of the ribbed and extensible type. The pouch I0 likewise by preference and in accordance with my inventive thought, is constituted of mated sections having their abutting edges united by a stitched seam I I to a point I2 where the sections are crossed and secured in that relation by lines of stitching I3, lli, l5, lli, and are thence continued as leg bands Il, the remote ends of which are joined to the waistband in the shrouded fashion above related.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided in a simple way for the very desirable factors of reversibility and conformability and have devised a non-chang reversible jock strap which will adequately and comfortably serve the purpose of an abdominal supporter.

Having described the invention, what claimed is:-

A reversible athletic supporter, comprising a main waistband section and abdominal supporter formed of elastic webbing doubled upon itself,

the upper marginal edge of the waistband del ning the line of fold and the lower marginal edges being relativelyl free and unattached throughout their extent, a separate elastic member joining the ends ofthe main section in such way as not to impair the relative elasticity of the parts, elastic fabric sections in consociated order of arrangement to provide a pouch and leg bands susceptible to reversal along with the waistband, the upper ends of the pouch and of the leg bands being received between the flaps of the waistband and all of said parts being joined by elastic stitching which insures continuous elasticity throughout the article.

JOHN T. JORDAN. 

